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June 29, 2026Publication date for PACHINKO MAN: The Life and Meaning of Pro Wrestling Legend Rikidōzan is January 2027.
Orders direct from the author are expected to ship slightly earlier. Direct orders include autographed copies with free shipping to U.S. addresses. Reserve yours by remitting $24.95 in U.S. currency to paypal@muchnick.net. (Canadian orders, add $10 for shipping. All other foreign orders, add $20.)
At a later point there will be a PayPal store order page for PACHINKO MAN like those for our other books.
PACHINKO MAN is the first English language biography in the West of the most famous celebrity in 1950s Japan – a professional wrestler who was secretly Korean. Rikidōzan, the former Kim Sin-rak, pummeled Americans inside the ring to boost his country’s post-World II morale. Enmeshed with the Yakuza organized crime syndicate, leading to his early death, and so popular he was responsible for putting TV sets in nearly every Japanese home, Rikidōzan led a remarkable global pop culture journey foreshadowing today’s “Korean Wave.”
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR PACHINKO MAN
Adam Johnson, Pulitzer Prize winner for his novel The Orphan Master’s Son
”Important and long overdue contribution to the study of Japanese pop culture and Korean diaspora, and Irvin Muchnick is just the author to bring this amazing story to life.”
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Robert Whiting, author of The Chrysanthemum and the Bat and Tokyo Underworld
”Impressive, knowing biography of an iconic, legendary ring figure in Japan and Korea, and a primer on the world of professional wrestling at the same time — densely researched, rich in detail, brimming with fascinating facts, memorable tidbits and insights.”
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Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
“Rikidōzan in many ways was the most influential pro wrestler in history. He was the architect and biggest star of Japanese wrestling, which in his day was culturally larger than pro wrestling has ever been anywhere in the world. He was a national hero and symbol in both Japan and North Korea at a level that unless you understood the cultures at the time, you simply couldn’t fathom…. Irv Muchnick explains the rise of the Rikidōzan phenomenon, through the double-crosses, mob ties, legendary television events and its most violent and real conclusion. If you are a fan of Japanese culture, or pro wrestling history, this is a book that’s a must read.”
